Spray gun



y 1938. G. DAPERO El AL 2,122,559

SPRAY GUN Filed Oct. 29, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l @MEY July 5, 1938.

L. G. DAPERO ET AL SPRAY GUN Filed Oct. 29, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVENTO I {g BY IZZLUC. '7 Mn July 5, 1938.

| G, DAPERO El" AL:

SPRAY GUN Filed Oct. 29, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 5, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRAY GUN Louis G. Dapero and Peter C. .Dapero, Summit, N. J.

Application October 29, 1937, Serial No.'171,628

7 Claims. (Cl. 299-111) This invention relates in general to spray guns ing operations the pole may be held vertically by and in particular to spray guns especiallyadapted the operator with one end of the pole resting for use in spraying trees without the necessity upon the ground and the nozzle disposed form;- for climbing of the trees or the use of ladders. ample twenty-five feet above the ground.

Tree spraying apparatus .usually includes a Another object is to provide in a spray gun of 1'5 tank for the spraying liquid, a spray nozzle, and this character a novel and improved combination a'pump for forcing-the liquid through a hose to and arrangement of the tube, valve, and pole the spray nozzle. The spray nozzle is usually whereby the valve can be conveniently operated mounted on :a short piece of pipe by which the by the operator on the ground While the pole is 1-0 nozzle is handled. In spraying tall trees, for vertically disposed, and'selectively the valve can 10 example seventy-five or eighty feet high, in order be regulated to connect the tube to the liquid to reach the tree tops it is necessary for the supply during spraying and to quickly drain the operator to climb a ladder or the tree dragging liquid from the tube after the spraying operathe hose behind him, because the pump and tion, both to reduce the weight of the spray gun 1:5 nozzle cannot project the stream of spraying for handling and to remove the liquid for stor- 5 liquid from the ground to the tops .of such tall ing'of the'spray gun. trees. This practice'requires .thetransportation "Further objects of the inventionare to provide and erecting of ladders, laborious effort by the a spray gun of this character which shall have operator and is dangerous. Moreover, generally a novel and improved nozzle adapted for selectwo or'moreoperators are required to do a tivelyprojecting the liquid in the form of a 20 spraying job. stream or a difiusedor fan-shaped spray; and to Efforts have been made to overcome these difp ovide i S c asp y novel and improved ficulties by. the use. of improved high pressure means for operating the nozzle at the-will of the pumps, but such pumps are expensive both in operator, for example to project a stream of liqoriginal cost and in operation, and moreover the o high points in thereafter in a 25 high pressures used increase the danger of oper- Continuous Operation Sp the lower p t s ation and require heavier apparatus. Fur'ther- 0f the ee W t the fan-Shaped p ymore with such apparatus, high pressure neceser objects are to Provide a novel d saryto project the liquid to the tops of tall proved spraying nozzle which shall include novel trees is objectionable and unnecessary in spray and p d means Operable at the Will of the 30 ing the lower portions of the trees. Ope o for Varying t e S Spread O th Prime objects of our" invention are to provide fan-Shaped h wd to provide Such a hOZZle a spray gun which shall embody nove1 nd whereby there shall be a minimum of obstrucimproved features of construction whereby a tion to l w f th q i and a m un f rm stream of spraying liquid can be projected to 110W free from Spurting Shall be ensured- 5 the tops of tall trees with a low p essure pump A further Object is to Provide in a Spray gun and with the operator standing on the ground; novel and improved means adja e t the oz le and to provide such a spray gun so constructed accelerating t e w o q and for p that it shall be light in weight, can'be set upon Venting Surging, Spurting, p at on 0f the 40 the ground or other support during operation liquid Stream, as to ensure a p S o 40 and can-be handled and operated .by one man and uniform Supply of q to e oz le.

Without the necessity for ladders or climbing of other Objects, results and v a es of the t invention will appear from the following descrip- Our i ti contemplates along t or tion when read in conjunction with the accompipe, for example a tube of a length of the order D y drawings. 45

of twenty-five feet, having a spraying'head or Referring to the accompanying drawings, nozzle at one end and a valved fitting adjacent Figure 1 s a s d vat of a sp y gun emit other end to be t t liq supply bodying our invention showing the manner of hose. The tube or pipe is preferably thin walled 115mg the so as to .be light in weight and inexpensive, and Figure is a Side 'eIeVatiOn 0f e un on an 50 both nfor reeniorcing the tube against bending enlarged Scale and to support it at one end on the ground or Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal other support, we mount the tube within a prosectional view through the lower portion or butt tective and supporting casing, ,for example a end of the spray gun, on a further enlarged length of bamboo pole, whereby during sprayscale. 55

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional View through an intermediate portion of the spray gun.

Figure 5 is a similar view with portions shown in side elevation illustrating the upp r end of the spray gun.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of the spray head viewing the same from an angle at to that of Figure 5.

Figure '7 is a top plan View of the spray head, showing the deflector in operation.

Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 88 of Figure 5.

Figure 9 is a similar view on the line 99 of Figure 5, and

Figure 10 is a detached front elevation of the spray diffusing strip.

Specifically describing the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the reference character I designates a long hollow casing, preferably of a length of the order of twenty-five feet, although the length of the casing may be varied to suit diiferent conditions. The casing may be formed of any suitable material but preferably comprises a one-piece bamboo pole because bamboo is inexpensive, light in weight and strong. One end of the pole has a boot or butt which is shown as comprising a metal cap 2 telescopically fitted over the end of the pole and preferably wrapped with wire, cord or other suitable material 3 to reenforce the end of the pole.

Within the pole is supported a tube or pipe 4 which is preferably thin-walled so as to be inexpensive and light in weight. One end of the tube projects from the end of the pole opposite the butt and has connected thereto a spray head A. The tube 4 may be mounted in the casing or pole I in any suitable manner as by blocks 5.

A valved fitting B is mounted, preferably on the exterior of the pole, for connecting the tube 4 to a liquid supply, for example to a hose C which leads from a pump and liquid tank (not shown). As shown, the wall of the bamboo pole is formed with an. opening I through which the lower end of the tube 4 projects, and the valved fitting includes a casing having a passage 8 coupled to the end of the tube 4. A diametrically opposite passage 9 is provided in the valve casing for connection to the hose C. Within the casing is a rotatable plug or valve It having a transverse passage II for establishing communication between the hose C and the tube 4.

The plug or valve IE3 is rotated by a handle I2. Preferably the valve casing also has a drain passage I3 disposed at right angles to the passages 8 and 9, and the valve plug II! has a drain port I4. It will thus be seen that the valve fitting B in-= cludes a three-way valve by which selectively the tube i may be placed in communication with the liquid supply as shown in Figure 4, or upon rotation of the plug It the tube 4 may be placed in communication with the drain passage It.

It is desirable that a drain tube or pipe I5 be arranged in the casing I with one end connected to the drain passage I3 and the other end leading outwardly through the pole I adjacent the butt as at I6.

In use of the spray gun, a single operator may easily carry the gun and erect it with its butt end set on the ground or other support and the spray head A disposed above the ground, as shown in Figure 1. The hose C is connected to the valved fitting, and by simple rotation of the valve plug III by the handle I2, a stream of liquid may be projected from the spray head into a tree or against another article which it is desired to spray. Due to the elevation of the spray head in operation of the spray gun, the stream may be projected into the tops of tall trees, for example trees seventy-five or eighty feet in height. After the spraying operation, the valve plug Ill may be rotated to drain the tube 4 through the port I4, passage II, and drain tube i5.

In accordance with the invention the valved fitting B is located on the pole I exteriorly thereof at a distance from the butt end of the pole to permit convenient manipulation of the valve handle by the operator standing erect on the ground and holding the pole in approximately vertical position as shown in Figure 1.

. To facilitate distribution of the spraying liquid into the lower portion of the trees, the spray head is provided with means for diffusing the stream into a diffused or fan-shaped spray so that upon slight inclination of the pole, the spray may be directed into the lower portions of a tree as shown by dot and dash lines in Figure 1. As shown, the spray head A includes a body I! having an outlet passage I8 in approximate alinement with the tube i, and a stream deflector I9 is mounted on the body ll. This stream deflector is shown as including a resilient strip, preferably of spring metal, which is smooth, transversely flat, of a width slightly greater than the diameter of the outlet I3, and has'one end firmly secured to the body I? closely adjacent the outlet I8 at one side thereof. One end of the strip I9 may be riveted or otherwise secured to a bolt 2t and slipped edgewise into a recess 2I in'the body I'I. Preferably the free end of the strip has its side edges curvedly converging as at I99.

Normally the deflector strip I9 is wholly disposed at one side of the outlet I8 as shown by solid lines in Figure 5, but means is provided for flexing the strip transversely of and over the outlet as shown by dotted lines in Figure 5 so as to deflect the stream of liquid and diffuse it into a fan-shaped spray as indicated by dot and dash lines at D.

- For so flexing the strip, we may provide a pusher 22 pivotally mounted at 23 on the body I! at the side of the strip I9 opposite the outlet with its free end to slidably engage the strip. For actuating the pusher we may utilize a flexible wire or other connector it, one end of which is connected as by a set screw 25 to the pusher and the other end of which is connected to an operating lever 26 pivoted at 21 on a bracket plate '28 secured on the exterior of the pole I adjacent the valved fitting B. The intermediate portions of the wire 2% are slidable through a guide tube 29 which may conveniently be mounted within the pole I alongside the tube 4 and have its upper end project into proximity to the body I? of the spray head. The bracket plate 28 is shown as secured to the pole by bolts 29 passing through a slit 36 in the wall of the pole and a clamping plate 3i abutting the inner walls of the pole. With this construction, it will be observed that the strip I9 may be flexed simply by oscillating the lever 26 as indicated by solid and dot and dash lines in Figure 4., Flexing of the strip may be limited by an adjustable stop screw 32 on the clamping plate 28 to be abutted by the lever 26 at the limit of flexing movement of the strip I9.

With this construction the strip I9 may be flexed at the will of the operator to deflect and diffuse the stream of liquid into a fan-shaped spray, and in one continuous operation the top of a tree may be sprayed with the stream S and the lower portions of the tree may be sprayed with'a diffused spray D, as shown in Figure 1. The size or spread of the spray and the angle of deflection of thestream may be varied by proper adjustment of" the lever 26." Due to the relative location of the deflector strip I9 and the outlet l8 and the smooth surfa'oe'of the strip, there is a minimum of obstruction to flow of liquid and a smooth uniform flow free from spurting is ensured. The stream emerging from the outlet l3 follows the continuously kzurved surface of the deflector strip instead of impacting upon the strip as is comrno'n in many stream deflectors of the prior art, and the converging curved edges I90 causes the stream to leave the deflector in a thin fan-shaped spray. Due to the thin edges of the deflector, the liquid freely clears itself of the edges of the deflector so that the liquid will not flow backwardly along the edges of the deflector and down the pole. Obviously this is an important factor because not only is the liquid frequently of poisonous nature, but drippage of the liquid down the pole would be unpleasant to the operator and also would result in loss or waste of the liquid.

To accelerate the flow of liquid to the nozzle and ensure flow of the liquid without surging, spurting or pulsation of the stream, we may provide a fitting E which is connected in the liquid supply conduit. As shown, this fitting includes a casing having a chamber of greater cross-sectional area than the tube 4 with an inlet 35 at one end connected to the tubing 4, and an outlet 36 at its other end to which is connected the spray head A. The outlet and inlet are coaxial with the tube 4, and between the inlet and outlet, coaxial therewith and spaced from both thereof and the Walls of the casing, is a hollow frustoconical element 31 the larger end of which is disposed adjacent the inlet. This member is shown as supported in the casing by webs 38. The end of the casing opposite the inlet forms an air dome 39. In operation, the liquid stream rising-from the pipe 4 is split into two portions, one portion passing into the fitting E outside of the member 37 and the other portion passing directly through the member 31. The latter portion is accelerated and picks up with an injector action the liquid adjacent the outlet 36 so as to cause a rapid flow of the liquid through the outlet l8 of the spray head. The liquid entering the fitting is cushioned by the air in the dome 39, and accordingly a rapid, smooth and uniform flow of liquid, free from spurting, surging or pulsation, is ensured.

To close the openings in the bamboo pole around the valved fitting, the pole may be wrapped with tape or other suitable material 40.

Also, to reenforce the pole against splitting, it may be wrapped at points along its length by suitable material such as cord or wire 4|.

While we have shown and described the invention as embodied in certain details of structure, it will be understood that this is primarily for illustrating the principles of the invention and that many modifications and changes may be made in the details of construction without deconnected to said end of the tube, a valved fitting for connecting said tube to a liquid supply and for controlling flow of liquid to said spray head, said valved fitting being mounted on said casing and spaced from said butt a distance for convenient operation by an operator standing erect on the ground and supporting said casing in approximately vertical position, said spray head including relatively movable cooperating parts for projecting selectively a stream and a diffused spray, and means operable from a point adjacent said valved fitting for causing relative movement of said parts to permit in one continuous operation the projection of a stream ofliquid into the high points of a tree and a diffused spray into the lower portions of the tree.

2. A spray gun comprising a long tubular casing having a butt at one end to set upon the ground or like support, a tube supported within and extending lengthwise of said casing and projecting from the other end thereof, a spray head connected to said end of the tube, a valved fitting for connecting said tube to a liquid supply and for controlling fiow of liquid to said spray head, said valved fitting being mounted on said casing and spaced from said butt a distance for convenient operation by an operator standing erect on the ground and supporting said casing in approximately vertical position, said spray head having an outlet and a resilient strip with one end connected to said head closely adjacent said outlet, said strip being normally wholly disposed at one side of said outlet, and a device for flexing said strip transversely of and over said outlet to deflect the stream of liquid therefrom.

3. A spray gun comprising a long tubular casing having a butt at one end to set upon the ground or like support, a tube supported within and extending lengthwise of said casing and projecting from the other end thereof, a spray head connected to said end of the tube, a valved fitting for connecting said tube to a liquid sup ply and for controlling flow of liquid to said spray head, said valved fitting being mounted on said casing and spaced from said butt a distance for convenient operation by an operator standing erect on the ground and supporting said casing in approximately vertical position, said spray head having an outlet and a resilient strip with one end connected to said head closely adjacent said outlet, said strip being normally Wholly disposed at one side of said outlet, a device for flexing said strip transversely of and over said outlet to deflect the stream of liquid therefrom, an operating lever mounted exteriorly of said casing adjacent said valved fitting, and an operative connection between said lever and said device.

4. A spray head including a body having an outlet, a resilient strip secured at one end to said body closely adjacent one side of said outlet and normally wholly disposed at said side of the outlet, a pusher pivotally mounted at one end on said body at the side of said strip opposite said outlet and having its other end adapted to slidably engage said strip, and means for swinging said pusher to flex said strip transversely of and over said outlet.

5. In a spray gun, a long conduit to be connected at one end to a liquid supply and having a spray head at its other end, said conduit including a tube and a fitting having a chamber of greater cross-sectional area than said tube and formed with an inlet and outlet coaxial with the conduit, and a hollow frusto-conical element within said chamber coaxial with and spaced from the walls thereof and both of said inlet and said outlet with its larger end adjacent said inlet.

In a spray gun, a long conduit to be connected at one end to a liquid supply and having a spray head at its other end, said conduit including a tube and a fitting having a chamber of greater cross-sectional area than said tube and formed with an inlet and outlet coaxial with the conduit, and an air dome for cushioning the flow of liquid into said fitting.

'7. In a spray gun, a long conduit to be connected at one end to a liquid supply and having a spray head at its other end, said conduit including a tube and a fitting having a chamber of greater cross-sectional area than said tube and formed with an inlet and outlet coaxial with the conduit, a hollow frusto-conical element within said chamber coaxial with and spaced from the walls thereof and both of said inlet and said outlet with its larger end adjacent said inlet, and an air dome for cushioning the flow 10 of liquid into said fitting.

LOUIS G. DAPERO. PETER- C. DAPERO. 

